Next month during their Sept. 10/11, 2011 auction, Clars Auction Gallery will be featuring rare Amelia Earhart items including a pair of 1920s Luxor aviator goggles damaged in an early plane crash and 18 unpublished personal photographs belonging to the famed aviator.
“So much mystery and speculation surrounds the life and disappearance of Amelia Earhart that when personal items belonging to her become available—which is a very rare occurrence—it rekindles the public’s imagination about her and the spirit of American aviation,” says Clars President Redge A. Martin. “For the items to surface in Northern California is a significant historical event, and one that brings an intimate, personal focus to this pioneer of flight.”
The auction house had the following to relate:
“The Amelia Earhart Luxor No. 6 flying goggles were a gift to a relative of the consignor by Neta Snook, the aviator who taught Amelia Earhart to fly. The goggles include the original aluminum storage case. Reportedly the goggles are from Amelia’s first crash at Goodyear Field while learning to fly with Neta Snook, July 1921, in her Airster.
Neta Snook (1896-1991), to whom the items at auction belonged, was Amelia Earhart’s first aviation instructor and the first woman to run an aviation business and to run an airfield, among a long list of firsts. Her 1974 autobiography, ‘I Taught Amelia Earhart to Fly‘, recounts how a young Earhart and her father walked on to Snook’s airfield and Amelia announced to her “I want to fly. Will you teach me?” For $1 in Liberty Bonds per minute of flight time, Snook taught Earhart to fly. Her early flights were fraught with mishaps, prompting Snook to reflect “Perhaps I misjudged her abilities…”
Clars also reports that the 18 unpublished Amelia Earhart gelatin silver photographs offered were a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart. The photos have been forgotten in storage for 40 years and were re-discovered recently by the seller in a manila envelope in a Northern California storage locker. These images include the famed Lockheed Electra 10E, the plane that was used for the circumnavigation attempt in 1939, with navigator Fred Noonan. There are also personal images of her packing for the flight, and her getting her hair cut at a barber’s shop.
Paul Fraser Collectibles (www.paulfrasercollectibles.com) says that the pre-sale estimate on the lot is $20,000 to $40,000 (goggles and a signed book), but that if the price achieved on a pair of Earhart flight goggles at the Profiles in History auction in 2009 is any indicator, these goggles could likely go for much more. At that auction the price soared to $141,600.
UPDATE: Here are the final prices realized at the auction:
Amelia Earhart Luxor No.6 flying goggles, left lens cracked, includes aluminum storage case, marked Luxor
Goggles No.6, E. B. Meyrowitz, the goggles were a gift to a relative of the consignor via Neta Snook, the
aviator who taught Amelia Earhart to fly, goggles 8”w x 2”h, case 2”h x 4.5”w x 2”d, note: reportedly the
goggles are from Amelia’s first crash at Goodyear Field while learning to fly with Neeta Snook, July 1921, in
her Airster. Sold for $15,000.
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting Amelia Earhart reviewing the map for the
circumnavigational flight of 1937, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the
consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $400
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting Amelia with her husband George P. Putnam, note:
provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly
by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $375
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, taking off from
Oakland airport, California, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the
consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $350
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, (left to Right) depicting Paul Mantz, Amelia Earhart, Harry
Manning and Fred Noonan, Oakland, California, March 17, 1937, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift
from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $400
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, portrait of Amelia Earhart, note: provenance, the photograph
was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $325
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting Amelia Earhart and Paul Mantz, in the cockpit of the
Lockheed Model 10 Electra, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the
consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $350
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting Amelia Earhart exiting the cockpit of the Lockheed
Model 10 Electra , note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s
mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $375
Photograph, gelatin silver print, Amelia Earhart, 1937, signed (autograph) and inscribed by Amelia Earhart,
and dated 1937 (upper left), sight: 8.5”h x 6.5”w, frame: 12.5”h x 10”w. Sold for $1,800
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, Harry Manning, Amelia Earhart and Paul Mantz, note:
provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly
by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $300
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, Amelia Earhart packing her clothes and map case for the
circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia
Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w. Sold for $300
(lot of 4) Books, Amelia Earhart collection, including Neta Snook Southern, I Taught Amelia To Fly, signed and
inscribed, an Aviators’ Equipment Catalog, Amelia Earhart Aviation Pioneer, and Amelia, My Courageous
Sister, Muriel Earhart Morrissey and Carol Osborne. Sold for $325
Autographed photograph, gelatin silver print, Amelia Earhart, inscribed and signed, ”To my friends of the
radio audience, Amelia M. Earhart”, 10”h x 8”w. Sold for $2,750
Photograph, Amelia Earhart, depicting her supervising and document maintenance of her aeroplane, 2.75”h x
4.5”w. Sold for $300
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, portrait of Amelia Earhart leaning back on a sofa, note:
provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly
by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w $ 300
Photograph, gelatin silver print, Amelia Earhart and Charles Otis, bottom right of image has ballpoint pen
notation, ”Photo Meli”, photographers stamp verso, ”James J. Meli, 8228 Euclid Ave, ENdicott 1313,
Cleveland, Ohio”, also ball point pen description verso, ”Charles Otis and A Earhart”, sight: 10”h x 8”w $ 300
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, portrait of Amelia Earhart addressing envelopes for her
circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia
Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w $ 300
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, portrait of Amelia Earhart having her haircut at a barber shop,
note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was taught
to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w $ 325
Letter, George P. Putnam, signed (autographed) hand written letter, with reference to Amelia Earhart his
wife, addressed to Mr. Meli the photographer, on The Westlake, Cleveland, Ohio letterhead, ink on paper,
provenance: from a relative of Meli, sight: 10.5”h x7.25”w $ 500
Negative, Amelia Earhart, 4” x 5” negative, on Agfa film stock, depicting Amelia Earhart in a plane cockpit, 4”
x 5” $ 400
Negative, Amelia Earhart, 4” x 5” negative, on Agfa film stock, depicting Amelia Earhart, Harry Manning,
George Putnam, and R.D. Bo Mcinelly $ 450
Negative, Amelia Earhart, 4” x 5” negative, on Agfa film stock, depicting Amelia Earhart looking at maps $ 500
Negative, Amelia Earhart, 4” x 5” negative, on Agfa film stock, depicting Amelia Earhart and Harry Manning $ 450
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, being fueled at
Oakland airport, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother,
who was taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w $ 300
Photograph, Amelia Earhart gelatin silver print, depicting Paul Mantz, Amelia Earhart, Elmer Dimity and Nellie
G. Donohoe, Oakland Postmaster, loading the last package of flight covers into the Lockheed Model 10
Electra, note: provenance, the photograph was a gift from Amelia Earhart to the consignor’s mother, who was
taught to fly by Earhart, 8”h x 10”w $ 300
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